Tag: improving

Asia stocks mostly gained Friday amid improved investor sentiment following overnight gains on Wall Street. The mainland Chinese markets, watched in relation to the ongoing trade war between Beijing and Washington, were higher on the day. The moves followed after officials from Washington and Beijing met for trade talks earlier this week — details about the progress were sparse. U.S. and China have halted an ongoing trade war to try and resolve sticking issues on a number of areas. “There are so

The mainland Chinese markets, watched in relation to the ongoing trade war between Beijing and Washington, were higher on the day. The Shanghai composite was up about 0.74 percent to close around 2,553.83 while the Shenzhen composite gained 0.758 percent to about 1,313.36. The Shenzhen component also rose 0.611 percent to close around 7,474.01.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index gained about 0.5 percent, as of its final hour of trade.

The moves followed after officials from Washington and Beijing met for trade talks earlier this week — details about the progress were sparse. U.S. and China have halted an ongoing trade war to try and resolve sticking issues on a number of areas. Analysts who spoke to CNBC on Friday were divided whether a deal between the two economic powerhouses would be forthcoming.

“I think (U.S. President Donald) Trump wants to have a win and (Chinese leader) Xi Jinping desperately needs to have a win. So, I think they’re gonna come to some agreement … probably in the first quarter,” Andrew Collier, managing director at Orient Capital Research, told CNBC’s “Street Signs” on Friday.

Collier said, however, trade frictions between Washington and Beijing are unlikely to end as “China clearly … is a threat to the United States and plus it has done many things that many countries disagree with.”

Others did not agree.

“There are some that would argue that the Trump administration needs a deal, given that they’re walking into an election cycle in 2020 … I would respectfully disagree,” James Sullivan, head of equity research ex-Japan at J.P. Morgan, said. “What the Trump administration needs to do is incite his base. A deal, by definition, means compromise. Compromise doesn’t incite.”

The United States has told its ally South Korea it should not improve ties with North Korea faster than Pyongyang takes steps to give up its nuclear weapons, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday. Speaking as a working group with South Korea to coordinate North Korean policy held an inaugural meeting in Washington, Pompeo indicated that Washington had been concerned that Seoul had moved too quickly with Pyongyang. The working group is headed by South Korea’s special representative

The United States has told its ally South Korea it should not improve ties with North Korea faster than Pyongyang takes steps to give up its nuclear weapons, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday.

Speaking as a working group with South Korea to coordinate North Korean policy held an inaugural meeting in Washington, Pompeo indicated that Washington had been concerned that Seoul had moved too quickly with Pyongyang.

“We have made clear to the Republic of Korea that we do want to make sure that peace on the peninsula and the denuclearization of North Korea aren’t lagging behind the increase in the amount of inter-relationship between the two Koreas,” he told a news briefing.

“We view them as tandem, as moving forward together,” Pompeo added. “We view them as important parallel processes, and that working group is designed to make sure they continue to remain that way.”

The working group is headed by South Korea’s special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, Lee Do-hoon, and Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea.

Pompeo said he believed there was “complete agreement” on how to proceed.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted a statement from Seoul’s Foreign Ministry as saying the two sides in the meeting agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation on an “increasingly systemic and regular basis.”

Last month, in a rare sign of discord between Seoul and Washington, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Pompeo had expressed “discontent” at an inter-Korean military pact reached during a summit in September.

The Koreas also agreed in October to begin reconnecting rail and road links despite U.S. concerns that the rapid North-South thaw could undermine efforts to press Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.

At an unprecedented summit in June, U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to work toward denuclearization and peace on the Korean peninsula and establish new relations.

But negotiations have since made little headway, with Pyongyang upset by Washington’s insistence that international sanctions must remain until it gives up its nuclear weapons.

Last week, South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said in Washington it was important to provide North Korea with motivation to denuclearize but that sanctions would stay in place “until we see actual progress on denuclearization.”

But such cooperation belies the rivalry that defines the relationship between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, political strategists warn. “What’s below the surface is serious geopolitical competition between China and Russia,” he said. Beijing’s economic and commercial activities in Moscow’s backyard — Central Asia, the Russian Far East and the Arctic — have long been a threat to Putin. While Putin and Xi seek to reconcile their differences, as reflected b

‘The world hasn’t been this geopolitically fragile in a very long time’ 7 Hours Ago | 02:09

The strategic partnership between China and Russia, long marred by mutual suspicion, has risen to new heights with recent news of joint projects of more than $100 billion and large-scale army drills.

But such cooperation belies the rivalry that defines the relationship between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, political strategists warn.

“The Chinese-Russian military alliance is only what you see above the surface,” Robert Kaplan, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a think tank focused on U.S. national security issues, told CNBC on the sidelines of the Singapore Summit on Friday.

“What’s below the surface is serious geopolitical competition between China and Russia,” he said.

Beijing’s economic and commercial activities in Moscow’s backyard — Central Asia, the Russian Far East and the Arctic — have long been a threat to Putin. But his government has been unable to compete due to its own economic problems at home and in 2014, Moscow accelerated its pivot towards Beijing after coming under western sanctions over its annexation of Crimea.

While Putin and Xi seek to reconcile their differences, as reflected by their public show of drinking vodka and eating caviar together at this week’s Eastern Economic Forum, deep-seated rivalry remains.

The bilateral relationship is more of an entente, a basic agreement about the fundamentals of world order supported by common interests, rather than an alliance, Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, said in a note this week. Moscow’s concerns about Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative are still at play, Trenin suggested.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday it had made U.S. actor Steven Seagal its special representative for Russian-U.S. humanitarian ties, a role it said was meant to deepen cultural, art and youth ties between the two countries. President Vladimir Putin presented a Russian passport to U.S. actor Steven Seagal in 2016, saying he hoped it would serve as a symbol of how fractious ties between Moscow and Washington were starting to improve. “I’ve always had a very strong desire to do all I can

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday it had made U.S. actor Steven Seagal its special representative for Russian-U.S. humanitarian ties, a role it said was meant to deepen cultural, art and youth ties between the two countries.

President Vladimir Putin presented a Russian passport to U.S. actor Steven Seagal in 2016, saying he hoped it would serve as a symbol of how fractious ties between Moscow and Washington were starting to improve.

Since then, U.S.-Russia relations have only got worse however with U.S. intelligence agencies accusing Moscow of interfering in Donald Trump’s White House run, an allegation Russia denies. The two countries are also at odds over Syria and Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry likened Seagal’s new role to that of a U.N. goodwill ambassador and said that the actor, who is known for his martial arts prowess, would receive no salary.

“It’s a case of people’s diplomacy intersecting with traditional diplomacy,” the ministry said.

Seagal, who sometimes appears on Russian state TV to talk about his views and career, was cited by Kremlin-backed TV station RT as welcoming the appointment.

“I’ve always had a very strong desire to do all I can to help improve Russian-American relations,” RT cited Seagal as saying. “I have worked tirelessly in this direction for many years unofficially and I am now very grateful for the opportunity to do the same thing officially.”

For more than a decade Seagal, who according to his own website is 66, has been a regular visitor to Russia. His movies, including such titles as “Under Siege” and “Sniper: Special Ops,” are popular with Russian audiences.

President Putin is also a fan of the kind of martial arts that Seagal often practised in his Hollywood action movies.

Sergei Lavrov made the comments about Maria Butina in a phone call to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that was aimed at improving bilateral relations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement in the wake of the recent summit in Helsinki. On Wednesday, a U.S. judge ordered Butina jailed until her trial after U.S. prosecutors argued she has ties to Russian intelligence and could flee the United States. Butina has been accused of working with a high-powered Russian official and two unid

Russia’s foreign minister told his U.S. counterpart on Saturday that a woman arrested in the United States on accusations she was a Russian agent had been detained on “fabricated charges” and should be released, according to Reuters.

Sergei Lavrov made the comments about Maria Butina in a phone call to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that was aimed at improving bilateral relations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement in the wake of the recent summit in Helsinki.

On Wednesday, a U.S. judge ordered Butina jailed until her trial after U.S. prosecutors argued she has ties to Russian intelligence and could flee the United States.

Butina has been accused of working with a high-powered Russian official and two unidentified U.S. citizens, trying to infiltrate a pro-gun rights organization in the United States and influence the United States’ foreign policy toward Russia.

Lavrov said the actions of the American authorities, who arrested Butina “on the basis of fabricated charges”, were unacceptable and called for her release as soon as possible.

Lavrov and Pompeo also discussed ways to improve bilateral relations on “equal and mutually beneficial grounds” after the leaders of the two countries, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, met in Helsinki on Monday.

They also talked over possible joint efforts aimed at improving the humanitarian situation in Syria as well as the “challenges” of Korean peninsula de-nuclearization.

If you want to increase your savings and live long enough to enjoy your cash, consider this simple tip: Follow your doctor’s orders. Sticking to your physician’s recommendations — that is, taking your prescribed medications and watching your diet — can help you pocket upward of $2,000 a year in additional savings, according to recent data from HealthyCapital. The medical data company, a joint venture between retirement healthcare cost provider HealthView Services and healthcare system Mercy, com

If you want to increase your savings and live long enough to enjoy your cash, consider this simple tip: Follow your doctor’s orders.

Sticking to your physician’s recommendations — that is, taking your prescribed medications and watching your diet — can help you pocket upward of $2,000 a year in additional savings, according to recent data from HealthyCapital.

Tesla – CEO Elon Musk sent an email to workers saying an unnamed employee had engaged in “extensive and damaging sabotage.” However, J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded the stock to “neutral” noting that strategy will take a few years to provide financial benefits. Sirius XM Holdings – Sirius XM was downgraded to “hold” from “buy” at Pivotal Research in a valuation call. Pivotal’s target price for the satellite radio operator’s stock remains at $7.75 per share. Stifel cites improving competitive d

Verizon – The telecom giant’s stock was upgraded to “buy” from “hold” at Deutsche Bank, which said fundamentals are improving but the stock price hasn’t yet caught up. Deutsche Bank points to potential from 5G technology and an improving wireless business, among other factors.

Tesla – CEO Elon Musk sent an email to workers saying an unnamed employee had engaged in “extensive and damaging sabotage.” Musk said the automaker is investigating whether the employee was working with any outside organizations.

Apple – Apple’s iPhones would not be subject to new tariffs on phones assembled in China, according to a New York Times report. The paper said President Donald Trump had made that commitment to Apple CEO Tim Cook in a meeting last month.

Wells Fargo – The bank is considering a combination of its private client and wealth brokerage services units. Both divisions target affluent clients and many of their functions overlap.

AT&T – AT&T is promising fewer commercials, smaller channel bundles, and personalized programming following its buyout of Time Warner, according to a Reuters interview with John Stankey, chief executive of the newly renamed WarnerMedia unit. However, J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded the stock to “neutral” noting that strategy will take a few years to provide financial benefits.

Sirius XM Holdings – Sirius XM was downgraded to “hold” from “buy” at Pivotal Research in a valuation call. Pivotal’s target price for the satellite radio operator’s stock remains at $7.75 per share.

Intuit – Intuit was upgraded to “buy” from “hold” at Stifel Nicolaus, which also increased its target price on the financial software maker’s stock to $240 per share from $197. Stifel cites improving competitive dynamics at the two primary business divisions, Consumer Tax and QuickBooks Online.

Dr Pepper Snapple – Stifel Nicolaus cut its rating on the beverage maker to “hold” from “buy,” noting the stock’s 25 percent run-up this year and the potential impact of higher packaging and logistics costs. Dr Pepper is in the process of combining itself with Keurig Green Mountain, with a shareholder vote coming next week.

KKR – The private-equity firm is exploring the sale of European telecom operator United Group, according to The Wall Street Journal, in a deal that could value the company at up to $3.47 billion.

Amazon.com – Amazon has introduced a version of its Alexa virtual assistant for the hospitality industry, aimed at increasing guest access to amenities as well as helping to improve employee productivity.

Mattel – The toy maker was downgraded to “neutral” from “buy” at UBS, which still sees value in the Mattel brand but notes the stock’s 35 percent jump from its March lows despite little change in fundamentals.

Twitter is improving the social experience for sports fan, CEO Jack Dorsey said, and it’s apparently got more changes in store. She makes the game a lot more entertaining because she’s tweeting during the game,” Dorsey said. Searching for or tweeting about an NBA team, for example, would launch a Twitter Moment at the top of your feed. “[Twitter] can provide you insights that you didn’t see if you’re at the game or you’re watching on television that other commentators might see. And in the past,

Twitter is improving the social experience for sports fan, CEO Jack Dorsey said, and it’s apparently got more changes in store.

Twitter will start suggesting accounts or tags related a user’s expressed interests, Dorsey told Dallas Mavericks player Harrison Barnes in an interview for sports news site The Players’ Tribune.

Twitter could also suggest relevant, less-obvious accounts based on the popular players or coaches you’re already following.

“My favorite example of this was [Barnes’] old team, the [Golden State] Warriors. Draymond Green’s mother is on Twitter. She makes the game a lot more entertaining because she’s tweeting during the game,” Dorsey said. “If we actually bias towards interest, and we make it easier to follow interests and events, then we can introduce you to those magical accounts right away.”

Searching for or tweeting about an NBA team, for example, would launch a Twitter Moment at the top of your feed.

“[Twitter] can provide you insights that you didn’t see if you’re at the game or you’re watching on television that other commentators might see. It can make things more entertaining. And in the past, we haven’t had really cohesive experiences around watching a game with Twitter,” Dorsey said.

Twitter has been investing in deals to live stream certain professional games on the site. Former Twitter executive Anthony Noto was previously in the top brass of the National Football League.

This situation is one example of how health care looks for the elderly and disabled patients at home in the U.S., some of whom are reporting signs of increased quality of care. The improvement in care at home comes at a time when hospitals are forced to alter the way they deliver care, which can include providing more outpatient services or consulting patients online. Hospital admissions and length of stays have slumped in the U.S. over the years as more people are seeking cheaper alternatives o

New York resident Rodney Nelson said that his 77-year-old mother, Dever, receives medical support from her one-bedroom apartment in the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Under her Medicare plan she is able to have a trained home aide come to visit her daily to help with tasks such as cooking and cleaning, Nelson said. The aide will also check in on Nelson’s mother and provide social support. Every three months, a registered nurse will visit to evaluate her health.

“If she feels she needs to see her nurse sooner, she can call her primary-care physician from her smartphone and that may trigger an earlier evaluation,” Nelson told CNBC.

Nelson said the home accommodations, set up between him and his mother’s health-care providers, allow her to maintain her independence while also getting the support she needs. He said his mother, who is now retired, preferred to stay at home rather than in a hospital or a skilled nursing facility.

This situation is one example of how health care looks for the elderly and disabled patients at home in the U.S., some of whom are reporting signs of increased quality of care.

A recent report from The Commonwealth Fund found the percentage of home-health patients who got better at walking or moving around, a key measure of quality of care, rose in every state from 2013 to 2016. The group, which tracks performance in health systems nationwide, also found that hospital readmission rates for elderly Medicare beneficiaries continued to fall in nearly half the states from 2012 to 2015.

The improvement in care at home comes at a time when hospitals are forced to alter the way they deliver care, which can include providing more outpatient services or consulting patients online. Hospital admissions and length of stays have slumped in the U.S. over the years as more people are seeking cheaper alternatives or looking to fulfill their health-care needs more conveniently.

Additionally, the improvement in home-based care comes as incentives created under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare, are encouraging cooperation among health-care providers, including hospitals, to reduce unnecessary health costs and keep people from being readmitted.

Under the Medicare Shared Savings Program, providers can form what is known as an Accountable Care Organization, or ACO. Under ACOs, health-care providers take on the responsibility for coordinating medical care for patients from the doctor’s office to home care, in an effort to improve health outcomes and reduce overall costs. ACOs that successfully lower costs for their patient population are rewarded through bonuses.